Agent of the Shinigami Arc - Bleach Retold
by Monstrel45
Summary: Retelling of Bleach 1st Arc with Gender Bend. Similar to cannon but with some differences. I'm no good at summary and it'll probably get get as it progresses. Fem!IchiXMale!Ruki is the main. Fem!IchiXMale!Ori fluff
1. Chapter 1: Death and the Strawberry Girl

_**This is my first Gender Bend fanfic so don't be too harsh...**_

_**Idon't own Bleach or any of its charcters. They belong to Tite Kubo.**_

* * *

_Night-time_…

XD

A cold, night fell over a small, normal-looking town. It was 2:23 a.m. on a Friday. In the shadows of the night, several, dark figures crawled out from a dark, unfamiliar world and disappeared in the darkness. Whatever they were… they didn't look human.

ooooo

_"We have no form, therefore we are feared and because we are formless, we are revered. _

_Thus we are slain."_

ooooo

Elsewhere, another figure landed silently on top of a telephone poll. It was a young man dressed in an all-black kimono. He was quite short for someone his age, no bigger than 5'1 ft. and had shoulder length black hair with a single strand in front, as well as violet coloured eyes that felt like they piercing into your soul if you looked into them. He also had a light blue scarf around his neck and by his side was a sword in a red sheath and in his right hand was some sort of map.

He stood alone under the giant, full moon that shone down over the street. He watched over the quiet little town, looking for something. His lavender eyes narrowed slightly as he turned his head to the left.

"I feel it. Such a strong pulse of spirit energy, close by..." he whispered to himself.

He jumped away onto another pole and went off down onto the town, unafraid of the great height he just leapt from, like he had been doing this for years. Then, he vanished, silently, into the night.

xxxx

_Later that day_…

:D

Elsewhere, at another part of town, was a fight waiting to happen outside a skateboarding park under the auburn skies. It was 7:15 pm and one adolescent girl stood in front a small gang of hooligans.

She was quite tall, standing 5'9 ft. and was lean-built, though she did have noticeable curves (and F-Cup breasts for those pervs wondering… you know you are). She had peach skin and big, brown eyes set in a scowl but her most distinguishing feature was her spiky, orange hair tied up into a short ponytail that reached the middle of her back. She wore the regular uniform for a high school girl: a short grey skirt, a jacket, a white buttoned shirt that could barely contain her cleavage and brown shoes. She also had a pink handbag with red strawberries on it, which seemed unfitting because of her punkish look.

Her name is Ichigo Kurosaki… and she was pissed off.

D:

"Oi, dumbasses!"

Across the street, several skateboarders paused in their fooling around and looked up to the teenage girl who called them.

"They even answer to it" the girl muttered to herself while rolling her eyes, as the skateboarders began to wander over to her.

When they got a good look at her, their jaws dropped and started wolf-whistling like idiots. As the first dumbass (I think his name is Yama or somethin') came into range, she leaped up into the air and lashed out with her fist, dropping him to the ground with a solid strike to the temple. This shocked and angered the rest of them.

"What the-?! You got a death wish, bitch?! Nobody drops one of my boys for no reason and gets away with it!" said the big one, with the moustache and ski hat.

"Hmpf!"

"That's all you've got to say?!"

He made a lunge at her but missed. Ichigo's face split into a nasty grin and she spun on her heel, kicking the second thug on the side of his face. He collapsed onto the ground beside his fallen mate. But the redhead wasn't done with him yet and started stomping on his back.

"Whoa, she's dropped Li'l Toshi!" another boarder commented.

"'That ain't right. She's one blood-thirsty demon!"

"We gotta help him!" said one with curly hair.

"Are you crazy, Lil' Mitto?!" retorted one with a nose piercing. "You wanna go up against that psycho!"

"Better not mess with her, she'll kill us all!"

:D

All the boys could do was watch helplessly as their boss's head was pounded into the concrete by the girl's foot. Then, she turned around to the startled wimps. "Now, listen up, worms, I'm talking to ya!" she straightened up and pointed back to her right. "First question: What the hell is that?"

It was a broken bottle with flowers near a lamppost. She then asked the smelly guy with the black shirt to answer. He smiled unsurely. "It's… some flowers to a girl… who got killed in a car accident… here?"

"Exactly!" The boarder earned a kick in the face for his correct answer.

"Wait, chill out!" pleaded the curly boy.

:D

"Now, second question: What is that vase doing on its side, huh?"

"I guess one of us… knocked it over with our boards?" one of remaining thugs said fearfully. "We didn-" Before they could finish the hothead punched them both the face.

"You guys catch on real fast, don't you?" Ichigo fell back in a fighting stance. "Well, then, since you don't seem up to apologizing… the next flowers will have to be for you!"

But it was apparent she didn't need to because the boarders erupted into screams, their eyes focusing on her scary-ass, rage face.

"We're sorry, we're sorry! We won't do it again!"

Leaving their skateboards and dragging their unconscious friends, they ran away scared, as if their lives were in danger. Ichigo snorted and stomped down on the nearest board, snapping it in half through the middle.

:D

"Like I said, Mina, they're idiots" she looked up at the ghost that hovered beside her. "But I doubt those punks will show their ugly-mugs, anytime soon. But if they do, just let me know and I'll drive 'em off again" she smirked.

She turned around to see Mina, a little floating girl with brown pigtails, held in place with ball hair bobbles. She had a long fringe which hung over the left side of her face and wore a red-and-white striped, tank top and shorts. She appeared 8 years old and was unbothered by the corroded chain protruding from her chest.

"Sorry about that I'll get you some new flowers, tomorrow, okay?"

The dead girl smiled. Ever since Ichigo started High School, she gave her flowers to her memorial and comforted her whenever she got upset. Mina was one of the few people to befriend her but kept noting that she was scared because the sky somehow was beginning to feel heavier in a strange way whenever she met her and the air felt lighter when the teen left.

"You're a scary person, Ichigo but thank you for standing up for me. I should be able to rest in peace, now" the ghost giggled.

"Don't mention it. Kicking ass is always fun. Just you hurry up and go to heaven" she smirked to the spirit.

After proceeding to pick up the vase and setting it upright, she waved vaguely, already walking off.

xxxx

_Later that day_…

**Ichigo's POV**

My name is Ichigo Kurosaki. I'm 15 years old, some I'm a high school student. My family runs a local clinic here in Karakura Town. Because of my hostile nature and beauty I'm also known as commonly the 'Strawberry Girl', lesser known as the 'Fire Princess' or secretly known as _'the sexy chick that doesn't stand for bullshit'_.

I've always seen ghosts since I was little. See the dead as clearly as the living.

xxxx

**Third Person POV**

The Kurosaki Clinic was several blocks away from the ghost's park but Ichigo saw no point in delaying; it was already 7:30. The longer she dallied in the open, the more likely it was she would pick up another passenger and she really didn't want to deal with another. Not today. Hell, not this week, one is enough.

"I'm hom-" she called out, brushing open the door, then suddenly…

"Hiya! You're late!" The leg of a man flew over into her face and she landed flat on the wooden floor. "Do you know what time it is, young lady? Dinner in this house is at 7 o'clock, sharp, every night! You shouldn't let your guard down when you're late."

D:

This ass was her dad: Isshin Kurosaki. He stood 6'1 ft. and unlike his daughter, he has spikey, black hair and a goatee. He's quite muscular and wears a grey pants and a white, doctor's jacket over his yellow shirt.

His way of greeting his eldest daughter when coming home late … is a big kick to the face. Obviously, she didn't like this one bit.

"Oh come on!" Ichigo retorted from the floor. "What kind of father expects a 15-year-old to be home at seven like a damn curfew, anyway? Ever heard of making exceptions, temee?!"

"There's no exception when there's rice for dinner, especially when it involves pointless street fights" said Isshin sternly, looking down at her with crossed arms.

Ichigo growled sourly. She was never late getting home because of a fight, they never took that long. "Anyways is that how you treat your kid who was helping a ghost find peace on her way home!" she argued.

"Silence! There are no exceptions, period! Oh and is it also the ghost's fault your room's a mess or why you haven't done your homework?!" he asked, while he pressed his forehead against his daughter's. "The rules of this house are iron, you break them you bleed!" Isshin's face turned wistful. "Or are you just trying to rub it in my face that you can see ghosts and I can't? Why can't I have that gift? Why?"

"Here's a better question: Why can't you just shut up?" Ichigo snapped. She heard this exact speech every time she mentioned something ghost-related. She could almost swear he did it merely to annoy her. "I didn't ask for it!"

XD

As they got into a comically Chibi arm-waving fight, Yuzu, Ichigo's little brown-haired sis, a few feet away at the table, was upset by the quarrel, one that was that repeated over and over again. "Please stop fighting! Dinner's getting cold!"

"Let them fight Yuzu. Maybe it'll put Ichi nee-san in a better mood. She's usually only this sour after being a Good Samaritan" said here black-haired twin sister. Karin, on the other hand, was unbothered by this. "Besides' there'll be more rice for me."

"That's not very nice, Karin."

:D

Soon, Ichigo sent her dad cartwheeling into the wall with a kick. "Damnit Dad! Someday I'm gonna get child services on your ass! Being attacked just for a little late home is totally uncool!" she pointed, angrily. Unexpectedly, a blue flame appeared over her shoulder.

"Speaking of uncool, nee-san you've got a new friend" Karin said calmly, while eating and gaining her attention.

"Actually…" Yuzu squinted at a blur next to her orange-haired older sister. "Ichigo, I think she's right."

"Another, how long's he been here?" Ichigo looked up to see a spirit appear from the flames.

He and brown hair and eyes, he also wore glasses and a business suit. Most noticably, he had a rope around his neck, which made Ichigo believe he took his own life. The middle age man smiled, commenting on how pretty she was, which caused her to growl in annoyance. "Damnit, I exorcise one and another latches right onto me! Take a hike, will ya!"

"Dropped your guard!" Isshin took advantage of his daughter's lack of attention and grabbed her and Ichigo to the floor. "Those who disrupt the harmony of my house will be punished by the TICKLING OF DOOM!"

As such, he proceeded to tickle the teenager who pleaded him to stop between laughs.

XD

"Poor, nee-san" Karin sighed. "Whether its ghosts or dad, something's bothering her."

"I'm actually jealous of you and Ichi nee-san being able to see ghosts, Karin. I can only sense their presence."

"I don't see what the big deal is" the raven-haired girl said with a bored tone. "Just because I can them doesn't make me believe in them, I'm in I don't believe in them, then it's the same as if they didn't exist."

That remark left Yuzu shocked and just stared comically after hearing her explanation in disbelief, the ghost was left hurt. "That's cold..." he muttered. It's one thing to not believe in ghosts if you _can't_ see them…

Finally, Ichigo broke out of the hold and punch her dad. "*Pant* *Pant* Damnit… *Pant* Temee… *Pant* *Pant* *Pant* Why do you keep doing this to me for 2 years?!" she wheezed as she stood up. "*Pant* I don't see you doing this to Yuzu or Karin. *Pant*"

:D

Isshin got up and put on his serious face. "Ichigo, as you get older your body goes through… certain changes."

"Yeah, I learned about the 'birds and the bees' at school but what does have to do with you attacking me" she said, bluntly.

"Over time boys will notice these changes, including vile ones that won't take 'no' for an answer when they request a date from you. Since you quit the Dojo your karate skills would dull and it's up to me, as your father, to keep your fighting skills fresh to fend off the little bastards when I'm not around" the man turned to his twin daughters with a big smile. "Don't worry Karin, Yuzu. When you're 13 daddy will teach you some lessons."

This caused Yuzu to have a worried face but Karin just ignored him. Ichigo then stomped off, ignoring the yells of protest that burst out behind her.

D:

"Oh by the way, nee-san, I have a new project planned, want in?" smirked the black-haired girl Ichigo just sighed.

"Karin quit using me for another one of your get-rich-quick schemes" the orangette proceeded to go upstairs. "Never mind dinner. I'm going to bed" she mumbled. Darkly, she noted the ghost followed her.

"Ichi nee-san wait…" the girl in the apron was cut-off by a door slam.

"Nice one dad (!)" Karin scolded. Hearing this he turned into a guilty-looking Chibi form.

xxxx

_In Ichigo's room_…

D:

"_There've been more and more ghosts bugging me lately, more than ever before_" she thought, as she put her pink handbag down.

Her room was pretty plain for a normal teenage girl's. There were few plus dolls (in particular was a lion doll she was fond of), no posters of boys or makeup kits, she was never into that. There was just a desk, a chair, a window and a big, comfy, pink bed.

The girl took the ribbon out of her hair letting it fall to the floor as her orange tresses spread out. Ichigo lay down on her bed, tired but not in the mood to sleep. Sleep would be almost a relief, though. She closed her eyes. Most of the spirits she met were annoyingly sappy.

xxxx

_Back, in the living room_…

XD

"WHAT?! WHY WOULD SHE TALK TO YOU ABOUT HER PROBLEMS FIRST INSTEAD OF HER OLD MAN?!" the silly man wailed. "I-I-IT D-D-DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!"

"Sure it does" replied a half-hearted Karin. "You're a 42-Year man with the intellect of a 4-Year old's."

After hearing this, a depressed Isshin weaved over to a giant poster of his smiling, deceased wife, Masaki. "Oh, my dear wife~" he sobbed. "Our daughters are going through puberty quickly than I thought and they're so cold to me. ~ What do I do?"

"Well, I think that after 6 years, it's time you took that poster down…" the serious twin sweatdropped.

xxxx

_Back, in Ichigo's room_…

D:

"_I can't make sense of what's going on with me_" she mentally sighed.

She blinked. Ichigo noticed a black butterfly flutter through her window. It was pretty. She always did admire those little insects. Just going where the wind takes them, without a care in the world. This caused her to smile a bit, a sense a peace in an otherwise chaotic day.

"Its close…"

The redhead's eyes shot open in slight shock, as a figure revealed himself to be a dark, teenage boy. There he was, standing on her desk, ignoring Ichigo as though she didn't exist, he was petite and in a hakama and a black Shihakusho, short, combed black hair and a sword at his hip.

"What the hell are you doing here? Who are you?" Ichigo demanded. The boy narrowed his eyes as he began to unsheathe his sword. This frightened the young woman as she back up into a corner. "Aaaaaaah! Don't slice me up! I'm allergic to death!" she cried.

The man got down from her desk and walk until he wasstanding in the middle of the room, looking around. "_It's getting closer. I can feel it_" he thought.

This was too much. After dealing with ghosts and dealing with her family, Ichigo really wasn't up to being civil anymore. Frustrated at being unnoticed, she tackled the stranger, leaping head-first from the bed and pinned his arms behind his back.

:D

"Wha-what…?"

"What the hell are you doing in my house?" she demanded. "Are you a burglar? You better not be or there's gonna be hell!"

The boy squirmed, twisting to try and look at his captor's face. "I-I do not understand. You can see me... touch me. How is that possible?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be able to see you-?"

D:

A second later, Ichigo went flying off of the intruder, propelled by a big kick from Isshin. "Stop jumping around so much, girl!"

"Why should I?" she barked, not taking her eyes off of the black-clad boy. He was looking from Ichigo to Isshin, looking puzzled. "All you do is jump around all day! I'll jump around all I like when I'm subduing intruders!"

"What intruder?"

"Uh, the midget, right in front of you"

Isshin looked down blankly.

"It's no good. Normal people cannot see me" the boy sat up, shaking his head.

Ichigo closed her eyes again. Too many ghosts had been bothering her lately. It was just her luck that when she got fed up and got landed with a freaking samurai-wannabe. "Never mind, Dad, I'll be quiet."

It took a long time to convince Isshin that his presence was not necessary, he having abruptly reverted to his generic sappy personality that came out when he thought something was wrong with her that he hadn't caused. After her dad left, the boy got up to his full height, he only reached up to Ichigo's chest, and reached his hand up onto her chin.

"How strange. You look like a normal girl, though a bit too tall, you must have a very strong Spiritual Energy… or at least defective" he noted.

Ichigo narrowed her eyes in frustration. "I'm not too _tall,_ you're just too _short_! And who're you calling defective?!" she snapped, with a popped vein.

The strawberry-girl tried to deliver a fly-kick but the boy just side-stepped her, causing the girl to crash into a wall. Ichigo rubbed her head and glared at the man as she got back up. "Don't avoid any more questions! Tell me who you are!" Ichigo demanded, as the boy was silent for a few seconds before he sighed.

"Do you really want to know?" he asked and Ichigo nodded, causing him to sigh once more.

"I guess I have no choice. I'm a Shinigami."

xxxx

_Meanwhile_…

D:

Across town a familiar black portal opened up with a strange zipping sound, slowly a monster stepped out onto the dark street.

It had a Humanoid appearance, about 16 ft. in height and there was a hole in the centre of his chest and it had a mask covering its face. The white mask was similar to a fish in shape and he a dorsal fin on his back. His shoulders and arms were plated with what appears to be a part of his mask and his olive-green body was covered with dark grey stripes, resembling the scales of something kinda fish. The monster growled before it stood up from its crouched position and sniffed the air.

**Crash!**

It soon found the dead girl's sprit nearby and chased after her.

"Oh no, please don't eat me" Mina sobbed as she ran for her unlife.

The creature tore apart some telephone wires that got its way like paper causing electricity to leak out and it left its 4-toed footprints into the solid concrete.

D:

The last thing that could be heard was the girl's scream...

xxxx

_Back, the Kurosaki Residence_…

XD

"Okay. Let me get this straight: you're telling me you are a 'Shinigami', from this place called the 'Soul Society' and you're on a 'mission' here to vanquish 'evil spirits' that eat souls" the girl concluded while sitting down on a cushion.

"Yes."

Ichigo nodded, as if it wasn't a load of nonsense. "That sounds believable…" then she threw her hands up in the air knocking over the little table in front of them. "…LIKE FLYING PIGS, LEPRACHUNS AND THE MOTHERFUCKING TOOTH FAIRY! WHAT DO YOU TAKE ME FOR?!"

Ichigo wondered whether if after hearing the intruder finish his minute-long explanation it was worth the headache. The self-proclaimed Shinigami shifted back, looking a bit offended.

:D

"You can see ghosts, yet you do not believe in Shinigami?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Of course not! The existence of a Shinigami… had never crossed my mind!" Ichigo retorted, crossing her arms. "If there were any Shinigami, I wouldn't have to help all the ghosts haunting me! I don't believe in things I don't see."

"You see me, do you not?" the black-clothed man said, as he got up.

"True, I don't think you're human but go play your lil' Death God games somewhere else, brat" she spoke in a mocking tone, while patting him on the head while popping her hips.

Looking highly insulted, the boy pointing his index and middle fingers at her. "I'm a brat, huh?" he whispered, with eyes shadowed. "**Bakudo No. 1 Sai!**"

Suddenly, the Strawberry girl's arms were locked behind their back as she fell to knees. Ichigo struggled as much as she could but she couldn't break free. "D-damnit, I can't move!" she growled. "What kind of black magic is this?"

D:

"I just used a Kido on you. Don't worry it'll only paralyse you" he answered with a smile. "It's a spell only we Shinigami use. Don't struggle you're only wearing yourself out." It was starting to become clear to the orangette that boy may not be lying after all. The Shinigami then knelled down to her eye level. "I may look young but I've lived ten of your lifetimes" he narrowed his eyes. "The only thing that's stopping me for punishing you for your insolence is the Spiritual Law, so be grateful, 'brat'."

He grasped his katana's hilt, drawing it with a metallic sheen. Ichigo tensed and flinched back as the blade flew by her face, only to recoil as the other flipped it reverse grip with the ease of experience and brought it down beside her head… on the forehead of the middle-aged ghost from earlier.

"No... Please… I-I don't want to be sent to Hell!" he stuttered, wide-eyed and fearful as the boy pulled the hilt away, leaving an odd tattoo on the ghost's forehead.

"Do not worry" the Shinigami said, Ichigo couldn't question him now, not with the ghost's response, watched as the smiling ghost shattered into a dozen shards that were sucked into a growing white portal, then a black butterfly appeared and fluttered away into the night. "It is not Hell that awaits you. It is the Soul Society."

He sheathed the sword again, turning to Ichigo with a trace of a sneer. "I doubt you need further convincing."

Ichigo shook her head. "What… happened? Where's the ghost?"

"I sent him to Soul Society" the Shinigami replied, as though it should have been obvious. "By means of Konso, the soul funeral, you would call it 'passing on' in your world. It is one of the duties of a Shinigami" he paused, gazing at Ichigo, something odd in his dark eyes and then held up a finger. "I will only explain this once."

"There are two types of souls in this world: the Pluses, which you are accustomed to seeing and the Hollows, the evil spirits, which prey on the Pluses. Shinigami are to escort the Pluses to the Soul Society using Konso, while exorcizing the Hollows. "

The Shinigami doodled on a notepad (that came from his kimono) as he spoke and turned it around, to reveal two drawings… if that could be called that, bad as they were. On one, a mutant rabbit's head was labelled "Pluses" and rested beside an arrow labelled "Konso" that extended across a barrier to a bubble emblazoned "Soul Society." On the other, an equally mutated teddy bear (Was it a teddy bear? Ichigo wasn't sure, it could have been another rabbit) was labelled "Hollow" and surrounded by a field of lightning bolts and a cloud that announced "Ka-boom!"

The black-haired boy tilted his head. "Any questions?"

"Uh, yeah" Ichigo stated, squinting. "Just why do your drawings suck so much?"

Her only response was marker that the Shinigami had used to draw the horrid pictures dew a curly moustache on her face, much to her chagrin. "Any… other questions that aren't bathed in stupid, monsieur?" he asked, with a popped vein.

XD

"Actually, yes I do. These Hollows, is that what you were talking about before? The 'evil spirit' things?" He nodded. "Why do those spirits kill and eat people?"

"I don't know. We haven't figured out why Hollows go after random Spirits. But we believe that's they eat them to ease the emptiness their hearts have left." the Death God finished, Ichigo swallowed

xxxx

_Outside_…

D:

The monster licked its bloody fingers from its recent meal and sniffed the air. From the look it, it was still hungry.

**"I can smell it. The smell of a tasty soul nearby and a Shinigami**..." it hissed before it turned around and growled. **"I must have them!"**

The creature's footsteps died away as the sounds of buildings collapsing stopped.

xxxx

_Back, in Ichigo's room_…

D:

Her brown eyes blinked. "Th-then what are you doing here if you're saying there's one of those things out there?!" she sputtered. "Go kill it!"

The Shinigami looked away. "I would… but I have not been able to sense its presence for some time now."

"Not sense its presence? Could it have left?" Ichigo wondered.

"It's possible," the boy admitted, shaking her head. "But highly unlikely, I usually don't have trouble finding Hollows but recently it's like something is jamming my senses."

**Aaaaaaoooooo!**

Ichigo froze, and a chill ran down her back. "What was that?" It wasn't just a scream…

"What was what?"

"Th-that bloodcurdling howl! Don't tell me you didn't hear it!"

"Bloodcurdling howl…?" the Shinigami repeated and his eyes went wide as it sounded out a second time. **Aaaaaaoooooo! **It was definably a Hollow. He span on his heel toward the call but not before he heard another scream. Ichigo saw the shocked look he sent her.

Almost in answer to the howl, there was a girl's scream from below. The teenager shot up. "That was Yuzu!" she cried. What's going on…? Was the Hollow attacking her?. "Oi! Untie me damnit!" Ichigo protested.

"Even if you come with me, there's nothing you can do to help. I'll take care of it" he told.

D:

He opened the door and widened his eyes in shock. "_What incredible reiatsu! I haven't experienced anything like this in a long time. How could I have not detected this earlier?_" he painfully thought.

Catching up with the Shinigami, she threw herself forward and saw Karin, lying on her stomach and dragging herself forward.

She saw red and it wasn't just the fury building, fury at this "Hollow" thing for hurting her little sister. The Shinigami felt a bit guilty seeing the little girl's state he could've destroyed it earlier instead of wasting time with small talk. There was blood running down from her temple and a thin spotty line of blood traced her path down the hall.

"Karin! What happened?!"

Karin looked up and gave a strained smile upon seeing Ichigo. "Good…" she whispered. "It hasn't come this way yet… Dad got knocked out… Then, something invisible went for me and Yuzu… so fast…" Her eyes slipped closed but Ichigo heard her last words before she slipped into unconsciousness. "I thought I had to warn you… Ichigo…."

D:

"She's going to be okay" the Shinigami assured the worried teen. "She's not dead. You stay here. I will deal with the Hollow."

Ichigo's fist clenched. "Stay here? Fuck no. I'm coming, tied up or not."

She raced after the Shinigami, as fast as a paralysed girl could. After she fell down the stairs,Ichigo crawled into the living room, which had been devastated and saw herwounded but alive father. She noticed a hole in the wall, got up and saw the shadow of a creature outside.

Ichigo felt it before she saw it. An overwhelming emptiness, a boundless vacuum and so cold… something about it made her instincts scream at her to run, that this was a predator.

:D

"I told you to stay out of this!" yelled the Shinigami, dodging the monster's fist. He apparently wasn't having an easy time, since he was heavily favouring one leg and it looked like the monster had tried to make a meal out of his right side. Then he noted something. "_How can she be on her feet while under my Bakudo?_"

Then, she turned the corner, as she caught sight of a huge, hulking monster-like figure with a bone-white, skull-like mask. It was shadowed so she couldn't see it properly. However, what was in its hand terrified her even more.

"Yuzu!" she screamed as she tried to break free.

"Stop it! The Kido is too strong for a human to break, you will only damage your soul!" the midget warned.

But the girl ignored him. The sense to save her family far exceeded her sense of self-preservation. She struggled and struggled until eventually…

**Crack!**

….She broke it.

The Shinigami could only stare in utter shock. "_Im-Impossible! She broke my spell so easily! How did she…?_"

Ignoring further warnings, Ichigo ran forward, grabbed a nearby chair and charged at the Hollow that was holding her screaming sister.

But the Hollow's other arm swung around and the chair didn't have a chance to connect before Ichigo was thrust away and through the wall. Landing roughly on her back, she nonetheless stumbled to her feet, baring her teeth in frustration. It was only then she got a good look at it. It truly was a monster. It had a hole in its chest and a mask-like face. Ichigo concluded that the creature was a Hollow but that didn't stop the chill down her spine.

"Is that… a Hollow?" Ichigo wondered, not really registering the Shinigami's shouts to move. "_When he said evil spirit, I thought it'd look human… but it's a monster…_" She looked down suddenly at her hands, which were trembling. "_Why am I… shaking? I'm not scared._"

Ichigo gasped as she stepped back in shock, the Hollow gave a watery laugh before it raised its clawed hand. "**I've finally found you! You smell delicious! Let me eat your Soul!**" he shouted as he swung his claws out at her frozen form, Ichigo couldn't force her body to move.

D:

She could only watch in horror as the claws came closer towards her trembling body.

"….Am I really scared?"

"Move!"

Jolted to the present, Ichigo barely had the time to register that the Hollow had been cut on the leg by the Shinigami and was charging her, gaping mouth open wide, before years of instinct ingrained by Martial Arts flooded into her mind, overpowering whatever fear that held her still. She dodged to the left, rebounding off the monster's hand and brought her body up to catch Yuzu, which the Hollow had let go of after the Death God sliced its arm off.

"…Ichigo? ...Run… don't let it get you…" came a nearly inaudible mumble from the brown-haired girl, before going quiet.

"Yuzu? No!"

The Shinigami calmly walked over to her. "Don't worry, she's just unconscious. Hollow didn't eat any of the souls from your family."

"Both of them, Karin and Yuzu, worrying about me, while they were in danger…" something in Ichigo's gut twisted painfully at the thought, as she grabbed a nearby baseball bat in case that thing struck back.

:D

But as quickly as it came, the Hollow left through a black portal.

"You were protecting her, weren't you? Thanks."

"I was almost too late" he admitted, his dark eyes flickering to his mauled side, before going into a Kendo stance. "It's seeking a specific soul to eat, one with high spirit energy."

This caused the orangette to raise an eyebrow while carefully putting her little sister down. "Which soul and why? Why didn't eat my family?" this caused the boy to let out a sigh in advance, while turning to face her.

"I'm not going to sugar-coat it. It's because of you" he told, to the young woman's shock. "Your immense Reriyoku was hidden deep within you, until now, when you needed it to save your sister by breaking my Kido. That was why I didn't sense anything unusual about you when I arrived. It also explains why Hollows haven't gone after you." The Death God shifted his sword as he explained. "You must've made contact with another ghost, who caused your reiatsu to leak out. As a result: it put a target on your back. That Hollow must have detected your spirit energy through that ghost… and most likely ate it before tracking you down, since I can't sense its presense either."

"T-That thing ate… Mina?" she stuttered, feeling guilty. Mina had nothing to do with her. The poor ghost didn't deserve to get eaten by that thing.

D:

Ichigo finally understood. It was all her fault. Hollows search for souls with high Reriyoku, spirit energy, souls like hers. And because of that, live humans in the way are sometimes attacked, too, like her family. That monster wanted her the entire time, her sisters and dad were just in the way. They could've end up dead like Mina and it'd be on her.

Suddenly, the Hollow came , it managed to regain its right arm and kicked the Shinigami, knocking him into a wall. He got up he noticed that Ichigo was facing the Hollow alone, challenging it, having thrown her bat away.

"You coward, leave my sisters alone!" she spat. Her eyes were shadowed giving an inscrutable look crossed her face. "If it's my soul you want, you can have i but I won't agree with your stomach. I don't taste good at all. SO COME AND GET ME YOU FUCK-UGLY BASTARD!"

The Hollow gave a bellowing howl was about to bite the teenager in two. The Strawberry girl splayed her arms out and closed her, to accept her fate. But the blow didn't come…

"NO!" Ichigo heard the Death God scream out before she clenched her eyes shut, waiting for her death.

She suddenly felt something warm sprayed on her check.

"Shinigami!"

xxxx

The orangette opened her eyes in horror to see the Shinigami stop the Hollow's bite, with his own body to shield her. The Death God had relied on instinct alone when he saw the Hollow attack her, to jump in. He then pried it off him with his sword, taking a few teeth off causing the creature more pain and took a few steps back. The boy collapsed into a puddle of his own blood as Ichigo rushed towards trying to shake her awake.

"_Damnit, it doesn't help that she looks just like… her…_" he thought while going in and out of consciousness. It didn't help his still healing heart when he saw her embrace death, believing it would save her family.

He just couldn't do it. He couldn't let her die!

With that in mind he had appeared in front of her: taking the blow meant for the human. He couldn't hold back the strangled shout that ripped from his throat as the Hollows fangs tore through his back and shoulder. Ichigo cried out as he regained awareness, the Hollow laughed behind them as it licked its white lips.

"**Delicious, just what you'd expect from a Shinigami's Soul. I'm going to enjoy eating you, too**" it laughed, the boy coughed as he rolled onto his side so Ichigo could sit up.

D:

"W-Why did you do that? If you had let it kill me, it'd leave us alone!" Ichigo cried out as she placed her hand on his shoulder, trying to ignore the blood that had dripped on her jacket.

The Death God grunted as he tried to force himself up onto his knees while trying to catch his breath, he knew better than her.

"*Pant * *Pant* Did you really *Pant* believe *Pant* *Pant* that by sacrificing yourself… *Pant* it would be *Pant* *Pant* over?!" he rasped, sounding a bit angry at her naivity. "Hollows eat souls…," the Shinigami explained, slipping to the ground. "Preferably, those with high reiatsu, *Pant* spirit energy. But one soul isn't enough. Your family… *Pant* they have your scent *Pant* and high amounts of reiatsu, *Pant* themselves *Pant* for humans."

Ichigo tensed, feeling the empty chill of the Hollow at the edge of her senses and approaching as it recovered. She understood. Even if it had consumed her, it would still kill Yuzu, Karin, Dad, hell even the Shinigami. Her death would have been for nothing. To make matters worse the Shinigami, the one with the power to kill the Hollow was incapacitated because of her recklessness. She even worse than she did before.

:D

There was only one option the Shinigami could think of. An option that would get him in very deep shit.

"_Do you mind?_" he asked to his Soul Partner, the Death God could feel her shaking her head.

"_I will follow you through death, my lord. No matter your decisions_" she stated before she faded back into his Soul, the Death God narrowed his eyes as he picked up his Zanpakuto from where it had fallen to the ground.

"What would you do… to save your family?"

Ichigo snapped her eyes down to the Shinigami, who had switched his katana to his left hand. "Anything" she said firmly. "As corny as it sounds, Shinigami, I've never really feared my own death. But if I were to lose Karin, Yuzu or my Dad… that would be a failure I could never forgive myself for. Because, then, my life would mean nothing. Why?"

"Because there is a way..." the Shinigami began, his voice growing stronger as he continued. "You must now become a Shinigami!"

Well, Ichigo hadn't expected that. She was fairly sure it showed on her face. "That's possible?"

"It is!" He raised the sword, his left arm showing some strain. "Place the point of the Zanpakuto at your heart… and I will infuse you with half of my power. You will temporarily have the power of a Shinigami and with that can you defeat the Hollow!"

"At my heart?"

:D

Ichigo had a feeling she knew why the Shinigami had asked that question now. Either it could fail and she'd die or she could drop dead once the 'Shinigami power' left her.

"It wouldn't work on a normal human but considering the amount of Reriyoku you have, it should work. If it doesn't, we'll all die here together" the boy finished, Ichigo bit her lip.

She didn't care about the risks. Yuzu and Karin would be okay. And her Dad, because even if he was annoying as hell, she didn't want him to be killed and eaten either. She hadn't been trying to sound cool when she said she didn't fear death.

"Alright, Shinigami" said Ichigo, grabbing the blade of the katana, though she'd called it a Zanpakuto. "I'll try this plan of yours, gimme your blade."

"It's not Shinigami" the boy corrected, smiling slightly. "My name is Kuchiki. Kuchiki Rukio."

"Well I'm Kurosaki Ichigo" she returned. "Let's pray our next meeting is under better circumstances."

"**Enough! Time's up Shinigami! I'm going to eat you both!**" the Hollow screamed out before it started running.

"Yes. Let's!" And with that, the Shinigami Kuchiki Rukio thrust his blade through Ichigo's heart.

The Hollow let loose its howl again, as everything turned white.

xxxx

A flash of light shone around the river causing the blinded Hollow to step back.

For Ichigo, it felt as though she'd been frozen from the inside out, like her blood had been replaced by ice so cold it burned as it pumped through her veins. It radiated from her heart, from the point of the Zanpakuto, seeking release through her skin. A second later it was over.

:D

Suddenly, the monster screamed as his left arm fell to the ground will a loud **BANG!** He growled as he looked over his shoulder.

She was standing in front of the Hollow, the lingering fear and instinct to run utterly silenced. Her school uniform had changed into a black Shihakusho tied together by a white obi. On her back was a thick, brown sheath with a strap that went over her shoulder and was clasped over her chest.

Her body felt strangely light, a contrast to the comforting, if unfamiliar, weight on her back. She reached back, grasped the red hilt and swept the swor- no, the Zanpakuto, out in front of her from its scabbard, marvelling but somehow unsurprised at its size. It had a square hand guard with a cross and light blue tassels on the end that billowed in the breeze.

D:

Her long orange hair blew in the violent wind as she tied to tied up in a ponytail, before she opened her brown eyes. Ichigo looked up at the Hollow where it stood a few paces away and examining the new threat.

"You bastard. Mina, Rukio, Dad, Karin and Yuzu… you hurt them all."

The Hollow lashed out with a hand and lost it after swipe of a sword.

"I really don't like it when my family gets hurt. It pisses me off."

The same followed with its leg.

"And pissing me off is never a good thing!"

As the Hollow hobbled forward, unable to balance on one foot, Ichigo brought the blade straight down through its masked face and blinked in shock as the monster's body began to fragment and dissolve until there was nothing left. To follow was Mina's smiling spirit fading away, finally at rest.

"Ha." Ichigo fell to her knees as exhaustion like she had never known overcame her. "Pant* 'cause when you piss me off…" she concluded, her vision going black. "…things get messy."

* * *

**Name**: Rukio Kuchiki

**Age**: 150

**Hair Colour**: Black

**Eye Colour**: Violet

**Height**: 5'1 ft.

**Occupation**: Former Shinigami

* * *

Rukio watched in astonishment from the side-lines, his black Shihakusho had changed into a white Yukata; his blood staining the back.

His sandals; scarf and his Zanpakuto had all disappeared but Rukio couldn't bring himself to care as he had watched Ichigo slay that Hollow.

"_Impossible, I only meant to give her half my powers! Somehow she ended taking nearly all of it!_" He thought to himself in astonishment as he approached the fallen girl. "_Never have I seen a human who could see Hollows and Shinigami, one that could break out of my Kido!_" Rukio thought to himself as he swallowed. "_The Zanpakuto responds by the Reriyoku by changing shape but never have I seen it so huge!_" he thought to himself in amazement, as he kneeled over to her.

"..T-Thank you..R-Rukio..." he heard her mumble before passing out, Rukio swallowed as he released a shaky breath.

"_Just what is this girl?..._" he finished to himself before he brought his hand to his forehead and rubbed his head.

* * *

**Name**: Ichigo Kurosaki

**Age**: 15

**Hair Colour**: Orange

**Eye Colour**: Brown

**Height**: 5'9 ft.

**Occupation**: High school Student… and Substitute Shinigami

* * *

"...And what have I gotten myself into?" the shrimp sighed.

ooooo

"_And so the sword of fate had fallen._"

ooooo

* * *

**Glossary**

**Shihakusho** (_Garment of Dead Souls_): Most Gotei 13 personnel wear the standard Shinigami uniform, called - a white _shitagi_, a black _kosode_, a black _hakama_, a white _hakama-himo_, white _tabi_, and _waraji_. The black hakama also has its owner's division insignia emblazoned on the inside, though it doesn't have any significant reasoning other than minor security authorization.

-** Shinigami** (_Death God"_): Shinigami are a race of spiritual beings that act as enforcers and psychopomps who all share similar supernatural powers. They're souls with a high level of innate Reriyoku, recruited from the ranks of the residents and nobility of the Soul Society.

Like all spirits, they can't be detected by normal humans. Shinigami use their Zanpakuto to perform Konso on Pluses. Shinigami also use their Zanpakuto as well as Kido to fight their arch-enemies, the Hollows.

- **Bakudo #1 Sai **(_Restrain_): The practitioner, pointing his/her index and middle fingers at the intended target(s), causes the target's arms to lock behind their back. The spell is usable on a single target or a significantly large group of people.

-** Konso** (_Soul Burial_): Konso is the process by which a Shinigami sends wandering Pluses in the Human World and send them to their respective place. Either Soul Society if they are good in life or to Hell if their life was full of evil acts (such as murders, theft, etc). Konso is performed by using the hilt of the Shinigami's Zanpakuto, tapping the soul on the head and transporting them to the afterlife

-** Hollow** _(Holes_): Hollows are a race of creatures which are born from Human souls who, for various reasons, don't cross over to Soul Society after their death and stay in the Human World for too long. They're corrupt spirits with supernatural powers that devour the souls of both living and deceased Humans.

- **Zanpakuto** (S_oul-Cutter Sword_): Zanpakuto are the trademark weapons of the Shinigami. Capable of cutting spiritual bodies, they're amongst the few weapons which can be used to combat Hollows.

Each Shinigami carries a Zanpakuto, and each Zanpakuto is unique: as the swords are both reflections of a Shinigami's soul and power, and sentient beings unto themselves.

The Zanpakuto's name is also the name of the living spirit that empowers the sword and lends its strength to the Shinigami who wields it. These beings can vary greatly in appearance and have their own distinct personalities which match their owner's.

Normally, the Zanpakuto spirit can only be seen by its wielder. Otherwise, they dwell in their own "inner world", created within the minds of the Shinigami who wield them. As such, each Shinigami's inner world is drastically different from another Shinigami's and is unique to them. A Zanpakuto's spirit can bring its wielder into its inner world, though Shinigami can voluntarily achieve this simply by meditation.

A Zanpakuto's shape and abilities are based on their Shinigami's soul. Once a Shinigami learns his/her sword's name, they are able to communicate with one another and grow stronger together. Zanpakuto are born with their Shinigami and they die along with their Shinigami.

Shinigami use them in battle as a reflection of their heart. When released, they can display a vibrant power. They are one with the Shinigami and they share a Shinigami's conviction.

-**Inga no Kusari** (_Chain of Fate_): The Inga no Kusari is a chain that binds souls to their living bodies. The Encroachment of the chain causes a Plus to transform into a Hollow.

**-Pluses** (_Wholes_): Pluses are the benign ghosts. They're the spirit of a person who has died. A chain, known as the Inga no Kusari, protrudes from the chest and binds the plus to a location, object or person that they felt close to in life.

The soul can move about freely if the chain is broken but this also causes the chain to corrode. Normally, pluses are sent to Soul Society by Shinigami in a ritual called Konso before this corrosion becomes significant.

If the Inga no Kusari is corroded entirely before a Konso can be performed, a Hollow hole will form in the chest of the soul where the chain was once anchored. Such souls are driven mad and become evil ghosts known as Hollows. If the Inga no Kusari is torn out deliberately, this hastens the process.

* * *

_**Here's first chapter please review.**_

_**For the naming of Male Rukia, it might have been a a bit lazy calling him 'Rukio' but I couldn't really come up with anything else. As for Ichigo, its a unisex name... I think, so I left his name alone.**_

_**Next the Chap will come soon.**_


	2. Chapter 2: A Shinigami's Work

_**Okay here's chapter two folks. Sorry it took so long but unfortunately I have a life outside the internet. It kinda sucks being a 19 year-old who finished college with parents nagging at you to get a job.**_

**GreedtheSelfless:** Don't worry Ichigo will still get Zangetsu as it is in cannon. The ice feeling part was just describing how it felt for Ichigo's Shinigami transformation, due to Rukio's Zanpakuto.

**Gothchic88:** I'm still not sure how that happened but don't worry I fixed it.

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

_It was cold. It was so cold in the living room. So cold, in fact, that the breath escaped her mouth as steam. Ichigo found that odd she was still in her Shinigami uniform and looked around for her family._

_"…N-Nee-chan…N-N-Nee-chan…"_

_She recognized that voice. It came behind the couch, with her strength she easily moved it aside… but was horrified by what she saw._

_"N-Nee-chan… W-Why does it hurt…?"_

_D:_

_There lay her little sister, Yuzu, crying in a pool of her own blood with her left lower side eaten away by most likely a Hollow._

_"YUZU! YUZU!" she screamed, hysterically. "Hang in there! I'll go get Dad!"_

_"What's going on…Ichigo…?" _

_The orangette turned around to find her father standing with the entire right side of his body missing and the life gone in his eyes._

_D:_

_"Dad, how are you still standing with that wound?!" she cried in horror. "We need to get you and Yuzu to the hospital, fast!"_

_"Ichigo… didn't you become a Shinigami… to prevent this from happening?" he spoke quietly but loud enough for her to hear him._

_This made her stop and stare at him with a surprised face. How he know about the Shinigami when he couldn't see ghosts?_

_"If that's so… why didn't you protect us?" said another voice._

_D:_

_The teen turned around again to see Karin with her eyes shadowed and both her arms missing, the sight made her feel sick but it appeared her little sister wasn't in pain. The Strawberry-girl noticed Yuzu get up despite her horrible wounds and looked at her with her now dull eyes._

_"It hurts, Nee-chan… Nee-chan hurts so much… and it's all… your… fault…" now her voice was devoid of life and slowly, eerily walked towards her big sister with the other two like a trio of flesh-eating zombies._

_"What are you talking about, Yuzu?" Ichigo demanded, now seriously freaking out. "I saved your life! I saved everyone from that Hollow! I killed that monster myself!"_

_Yuzu, who had begun walking towards her paused and looked up at her orange-headed older sister. "What are you talking about, Ichigo?" she asked. "You never saved any of us."_

_Ichigo stared in shock and confusion as her family had her backed up against a wall cutting off any means of escape and stood, facing her, now displaying identical holes in their chests, right where their hearts would have been._

_DX_

_"And Ichigo…" Karin said quietly, as the cold in the room intensified as white masked formed over their faces and voice changed, darkly. "…neither did you…__**you couldn't even save yourself!**__"_

_Quickly, she tried to reach her sword to defend herself only to find it was gone. "What's going on? Was there another of those monsters running around? What Happened To My Family? HOW THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN?! I-!"_

_Her thoughts were cut off as giant purple claw stabbed her through the back and ripped through her stomach. She looked in utter shock before turning around to see the familiar black haired boy, now with a bleached mask and daunting, yellow eyes._

_"__**Kurosaki Ichigo, you have failed as a Shinigami and a Guardian. It's too late to save anybody now because of you!**__" Rukio said in a cold, watery voice as serrated teeth formed. "__**You're not even good enough to join the ranks of us monsters, so…**__" he opened his mouth wider than humanly possible. "__**WE SHALL DEVOUR YOU!**__"_

_The teen didn't feel anything as the Hollowfied Shinigami bit into her jugular and blood sprayed everywhere and her family drank, she was still in shock._

_"No. No! This can't be right. This can't be!" she mentally screamed._

_"It's gotta be a dre-"_

xxxx

:P

"ICHIGOOOOO! ICHIIGGGOOO! RISE AND SHIIINNNNNE MY BEAUUUUTIFUL DAUGHTER! IT IS TIME TO SHOW THE WORLD YOUR-Arg!"

She shot upright, grasping the sheets like a lifeline and barely missed nearly getting a concussion from her attack-happy father. Frustrated and, as much as she didn't like admitting it, a little freaked out, the orange-head turned on the nearest opening and elbowed Isshin in the head. He fell backwards and landed flat on his back while holding his nose.

Ichigo groaned as she forced her body slowly into a sitting position to glare down at her stupid father.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Oyaji?! You can't go screaming like that at this time in the morning, I was asleep!" Ichigo growled, Isshin whimpered as he slowly sat up.

"B-But Ichi, I thought you loved Tou-Chan's lovely morning wake ups" Isshin whined, Ichigo growled as she stood to her feet.

:D

"What the hell gave you that idea?" Wait. Dad? Ichigo sprang up, subconsciously wondering about the morality of fathers attacking their 15-year-old daughters in bed and looked him up and down. "What happened to your wounds?" she asked. She remembered his back being cut open but he looked fine….

"Wounds? What wounds?" He returned the inspection with a look of confusion that matched how she felt. "Was I injured?"

Ichigo caught a flash of a gaping hole in his chest in her mind's eye and shook her head to dislodge the gruesome image that chilled her to the bone. "Never mind."

"Now, now Ichigo, you can trust daddy, I can tell you were having a nightmare" he said with his hands on his hips, much to his daughter's surprise.

"H-How did you know?" she asked, astonished by usually-goofy father's accurate guess. Maybe he was more competent than he let on.

He then pointed to the lion plush doll that her daughter was holding close to her chest. "You always cling onto Mr. Snuggles like that when had a bad dream ever since you were little. So I decided the most appropriate way to wake you up from it was by giving you a drop kick!"

D:

This caused the teen to blush red and twitch. "Th-Tha-That doesn't prove anything and I certainly care about this dumb thing!"

Ichigo slammed the toy into Isshin's face. How could her father go from whaling on her to the understanding daddy act in seconds? "Get out of here before I throw you out the window, you idiot. I need to get dressed for school" Isshin burst into commercial tears as he ran out the room.

"Oh Masaki! Our eldest daughter doesn't love me anymore! What should I do?"

Ichigo sighed as she closed her bedroom door shut; she looked around before picking up Mr. Snuggles, petted its head to make sure there was no harm done. Just as she kissed its forehead, Ichigo turned her head to the window to see her dad's face pressed against the glass.

XD

"Ha! I knew it!"

"HOW DID YOU EVEN GET THERE!?"

xxxx

It was some 10 o' clock before Isshin had engaged in his morning wake-up call, so she was already late but after breakfast the Kurosaki family went outside to see a giant hole in the house wall.

"Yep! Apparently, a burglar drove a truck into our house, last night" her father explained. "It's amazing no one got hurt!"

"I find it even more amazing that we all slept through it…" mumbled the black-haired twin.

However, Ichigo was surprised to notice that all the other damage to their home has been repaired. She was further confused when her family expressed their belief of what they thought had happened and completely uninjured. The redhead looked around to find that, apart from the giant hole, there was no real harm done. No claw marks or blood. Nothing.

D:

Did that Rukio guy do some kind of Shinigami damage control and did he return to that Soul Society? Was he okay?

xxxx

_Later, at Karakura High_ _School_…

:D

Class hadn't started yet, so Miss Ochi wasn't present (she was notorious for showing up later than most of the students), so freshmen class 3 was engaging in gossip. In the corner that Ichigo was headed to, one with a boy and girl, the boy was tall with shoulder length orange-brown and the girl had short black hair, the topic of conversation was obviously her.

The boy sat near the window as he watched the classroom door with his big dark-grey eyes; he had an open book in his hand but wasn't reading it. He stood about 5'10ft., slightly taller than Ichigo, had a grey jacket and trousers, as well as a red tie. He had a slender but masculine build and had blue, flower-shaped earrings. The boy wore his wavy hair with a full but parted fringe.

:D

"What are you staring at, Orioji?" said a voice, he looked over to come face to face with Tatsuki Arisawa. She wore a white blouse, grey skirt and jacket, as well as a red bow around her neck. She had dark blue eyes and lean frame, in contrast to Ichigo. She stood about 5'3 ft. and had a tomboyish appearance.

"I'm waiting for Kurosaki-chan!" Orioji chirped. "She's late."

"You're waiting for Ichigo? She may not come in today" Tatsuki mumbled.

"Why would you say that, Tatsuki-chan?" he asked curiously, Tatsuki looked at him and sighed.

"Mizuiro said that when he went by Ichigo's house this morning there was a huge hole in the side" she said , gesturing with one hand to him. "He said Ichigo's dad told them a truck had crashed into it in the middle of the night and they never even woke up."

"Don't worry, I'm still alive and kicking" a certain redhead snorted, causing the two to jump. A second later her sight was obscured by auburn hair and she was being squeezed from behind. God, how the hell did Orioji always manage to take her off guard like that?

XD

"Kurosaki-chan! You're okay!" he cried out brightly, Ichigo smiled back as she slowly tried to make her way to her desk.

She, like Tatsuki, wore a white blouse but she had a grey jacket over it but she wore the same grey skirt. Her red bow was untied around her neck and underneath her skirt she wore a pair of black pedal pushers that came just above her knees.

"Inoue… off" she grunted. Tatsuki sniggered in the background.

Smiling sheepishly, he backed away. "I'm glad you're alright, Ichigo."

"Oh morning, Ichigo" stated Tatsuki, as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought you weren't coming in today? You've already missed 2 periods" the orangette smirked.

"You should know better than to listen to my dad, Tatsuki" Ichigo stated simply, Tatsuki rolled her eyes.

"So what really happened?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"_Well, last night a demented, soul-eating monster with a hole in its chest attacked me, my entire family and a stray Shinigami - which exist by the way - tossed me around like ragdoll, made a hole in my house before ploughing through the other way and I had to take the Shinigami's power to kill it… Ghosts are one thing, this is entirely another. Besides, I probably dreamt it_."

:D

"Shit happened" she said plainly, setting herself down. Suddenly, a great shadow was overlooking Ichigo from behind.

"Ichigo, are you ok?" said a deep voice; Ichigo looked up and smiled at the site of her battle partner and friend, Sado Yasutora. He stood a towering 6'5ft., had tanned skin, wore a white shirt that looked like it only just fit him and a pair of grey trousers, his brown, shaggy hair covered one of his matching eyes.

"Chad! Yep, I'm alright" Ichigo said, Sado grunted and sat down behind her.

Suddenly, a brown-haired boy came charging in at Mach-speed with love-hearts trailing behind. "ICHI-SAMA! I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE ALRI-"

**BAM!** …That was the sound of the back of Ichigo's fist connecting with his face.

XD

"Good morning, Keigo" she stated impassively, as he fell to the floor in a daze.

* * *

**Name**: Keigo Asano

**Age**: 15

**Hair Colour**: Brown

**Eye Colour**: Brown

**Height**: 5'7 ½ ft.

**Occupation**: Highschool Student… and love-struck fool.

* * *

Another fellow classmate was a boy with black hair, Mizuiro Kojima, walked up to her calmly to say good morning in a more normal way. They soon began discussing about what happened to their friend's house.

"So did you clean it all up yet?"

"Are you kidding? Its going to take forever! We'll have to close down the clinic until it's fixed" she remarked. "What's third period, anyways?"

"Well, Social Studies is next" said Tatsuki, giving the orange-head a look that promised an interrogation later. "By the way, we've got a new student. Odd time for a transfer but his parents had to move."

"Who is he?"

D:

"Excuse me? Are you Kurosaki Ichigo?" said a voice; Ichigo froze and slowly turned around. There stood a behind her, in a pair of grey trousers and white shirt; the red tie around his neck, was a familiar raven-haired boy barely 5'0 ft. tall.

"That's him, by the way" Tatsuki grinned.

Ichigo turned around and gawped. "What the hell…? What're you doing here?" she cried out, causing all her friends to blink at her in confusion.

Though he was wearing a school uniform instead of a Shinigami garb and obviously everyone could see him, there was no mistaking it: Kuchiki Rukio.

"What's the matter, Ichi-sama?"

"Kurosaki-chan, do you already know Kuchiki-kun?" Orioji asked, in confusion.

"Yes, we do. Don't you remember me?" he smiled. The black-haired boy held out his left hand to the strawberry girl, revealing a message: '_Make a scene and you're dead'_.

XD

Now, when a God of Death makes a threat against your life, it pays to take it seriously. Thus, Ichigo clammed up and nodded mutely, quickly thinking up a lie to make up for her slip up. There was no way she could tell them truth about last night.

"Uh... well you see... Kuchiki... moved in next door to me! Yeah that's it. I meet him when he moved in yesterday as I was going home" Ichigo explained quickly and Orioji nodded in understanding buying her lie.

"I thought Hoshi-San lived next door to you?" Tatsuki asked, in suspicion.

"H-He's my other neighbour…"

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Kurosaki-san" Rukio stated, with such an unnaturally sweet voice the orange-head could have gagged and she couldn't help but cringe as she saw some of the girls of her class swoon at hearing his voice.

"Same here, Rukio" Ichigo muttered and narrowed her eyes when she noticed his violet eyes shining with amusement, as her friends greeted the Shinigami.

:D

"I haven't gotten my books yet, Kurosaki-san. Would you share yours with me?" he shot another poisonous smile.

"Alright class! Everyone sit down!" Miss Ochi cried out, as she walked into the room.

Of course, later on, as she offered her book to Rukio, the latter would find a note in its pages. '_Lunch is after fourth period, meet me behind the school. I want to know what the hell you're doing here_.'

xxxx

_Later_…

D:

After class, Ichigo grabbed the midget's wrist and dragged him through the second door out of the classroom. It wasn't as hard to get away from Orioji and Tatsuki as Ichigo had thought it'd be during lunch and that reinforced her opinion that she'd be in for it later. Orioji, despite his occasional ditzy moments, wasn't an idiot; it was likely that at least Tatsuki suspected that Rukio had something to do with what Ichigo was not saying.

"So what's up, babe?" he smirked, once they got to a quite area.

The redhead's brow twitched as she blushed. "First: Don't call me that again. Ever. It's revolting."

"Revolting?" he repeated, sounding outraged. "But I stayed up all night studying the contemporary vernacular of the Human World! Jeepers, it's a common phrase for a man to say to a woman!"

"Well Rukio, here's a lesson you must have overlooked: no one uses terms like 'contemporary vernacular', 'Human World' and 'jeepers' in a conversation." Ichigo looked around and spotted no one. "Speaking of conversations, we're alone. So what the hell is up, you midget? Why are you here and not in that Soul Society place?"

D:

"Why?" Rukio crossed his arms across his chest and frowned at her. "Unfortunately, I cannot because I need to be a Shinigami to get back home!"

"Have to be…?" What about the ghosts that pasted on, then? "But you _are_ a Shinigami, unless you've forgotten!" Ichigo mimed drawing on a notepad with her hands. "After all, you made certain that I was clear on that point!"

Rukio face-palmed himself. "Well, I'm not anymore! In case you have forgotten, you took my spirit energy, you idiot!" he shouted.

"It was half! You fucking said yourself you were letting me borrow them!" Ichigo was quite thankful there was no one around; the Shinigami was starting to piss her off. "How can you just lose the rest of your powers, what are they a pair of socks?" Ichigo shouted, Rukio sighed and pointed at her.

XD

If looks were to be believed, Rukio was more than a little irritated, too. "It's inside you. Last night, I only meant to give you half but you ended up taking almost all of it! You sucked it all powers up on your own!"

The orange-head paused as her irritation declined for favour of examining her memory of the previous night. "Sucked it up… like a vacuum?"

"Exactly! You sucked me dry!" Despite her agreement, it was obvious the Death God hadn't thought about it in those exact terms because she looked unsettled at the idea. "Now, I can only do the simplest of Kido and I have to live in this ridiculous Gigai!"

"Gigai? What do you mean?" Ichigo repeated, dumbly. It's like a different goddamn language to her…

The, disempowered, Shinigami sighed once more and pointed at his chest. "Gigai are false, portable bodies inhabited by weakened Shinigami in emergencies. It's for me to interact with the living, until my powers return" he explained, Ichigo nodded in understanding.

"_So that's why my friends could see him_" she thought.

:D

That made sense. After all, if a Shinigami had no protection and weakened, in this case as a normal human, he would be easy prey for a Hollow. Ichigo carefully shook the images that thought brought to mind.

"Okay, I get all that but there's one question you haven't answered." Rukio looked slightly confused. "What are you, a powerless Shinigami, doing here? What do you want with me?"

He sighed, an overworked sigh, like Ichigo should've figured it out herself. "I may no longer have my powers but I still have a job to do" Rukio said, bluntly with a smile. "Since you are the one who took them, you have to do it for me, Ichigo" he stated simply, as he held out his hand; Ichigo stared at him in complete shock.

Of all the… For a second, Ichigo felt like snapping back, "WHAT?! No way! I'm not going to fight those monsters" but an image of her being shielded behind the Shinigami came to mind and she stopped. "Look that was just a one off, okay" she said, politely. Well, the tone was nearly polite.

"Don't complain. It's your fault that I'm like this so you have no right to refuse!" the Death God said, Ichigo stopped and thought about it. "Come on, you did just fine yesterday, I know don't want to admit it but deep down you are a really nice girl."

"That was only because my family was in danger. I'm not going to risk getting killed and eaten by those things for total strangers, I'm not _that_ nice? Why should I?"

D:

"W-why?" Rukio looked rattled, as if he had expected her to agree right away. "W-well, you have to… and…" Something occurred to him. "…Arisawa and Inoue said you liked fighting."

"What? I don't go looking for trouble it's the other way 'round" Ichigo cried, completely outraged while shaking her hips. "Besides, a few 2-bit, wannabe, street punks is one thing but giant man-eating demons is a whole 'nother thing! So uh-ah, I refuse. Goodbye."

As she began to walk away, the raven-head put on a fingerless, red glove with a flaming skull on it. "I see. Well then, you leave me no choice" he sighed, with closed eyes. "I guess I will have to take matters into my own hands."

After hearing this, Ichigo turned around to find a hand pushed into her chest. The glove apparently removes people's souls from their bodies, as she was now wearing a black Shihakusho and felt the familiar weight of her Zanpakuto on her back. The orangette was now freaking out as she saw her body lying on the floor and now in Shinigami form.

:D

"I told you that I have a job to do and if you wouldn't come willingly then-" he stopped as felt something in his gloved hand.

It was big… it was soft… it was squishy…

Rukio opened his eyes and looked up to see what he was grabbing. He blushed as red as the schoolgirl did.

"I-I-I-I a-am sor-"

"You little pervert!" Ichigo shouted, as she smacked Rukio round the head.

This caused boy to fall on top of her unconscious body, there his pale little hands found two more… big… soft… squishy things.

"Wow… Wow!" he began poking her in random places like child, with wide eyes. The Kurosaki was now seething, seeing that this guy had completely forgotten why he was even here. Several veins popped on her forehead when Rukio poked her body between her breasts and had a small nosebleed.

XD

"KEEP YOUR GODDAMN FINGERS TO YOURSELF, PERV!" she yelled angrily with a face-fault, as she grabbed the Death God, socked him in the gut and kicked him where the sun don't shine for good measure. "YOU FUCKING BASTARD! I OUTTA CALL THE COPS, TATSUKI AND CHAD ON YOUR ASS!"

Rukio groaned and shot a pained look at the tall girl. "Damn… No need to get so worked up…" he muttered, as he got to his feet while holding his stomach. Ichigo walked to her body to hide it in some bushes. Rukio stood up and gave a cool look… despite the newly acquired black eye, fat lip and bruises he comically gained. "Hide your body and come this way" he muffled and she reluctantly followed his lead.

xxxx

_Later, at_ _Yumizawa Children's Park_…

:D

"Oi, why are we here?" Ichigo asked, as she noticed she was at the playground, she had a very bad feeling.

"We're getting close. Does a spirit reside around here?" Rukio asked, noticing a large memorial stand.

"Yes, he died at the age of five about 6 years ago and his name's Keiichi, though I only met him a week ago" she crouched down. "It's around 12 o'clock so he should be. Why?"

Rukio pulled put a mobile. "I received news from the Soul Society that a Hollow would appear at this park so it's likely the child would be attacked."

Suddenly, a child's scream and a crashing noise made her turn around.

"Keiichi!" Ichigo shouted, as she jumped over the fence to a little ghost boy. He had black hair and dark eyes, as well as a white T-shirt with red sleeves, blue jeans and white sneakers.

"Ichi-nee! Help me!" he cried, as he was being pursued by a monster.

D:

A 6-legged, spider-like hollow was in front of them. It had greyish green skin with orange joints as well as orange spots on its back. His mask was plain white with a relatively human-like face. His face is framed by 2 tufts of brown hair and a forelock of purple hair that fell over the top of his mask, making him look clown-like.

Ichigo tried to run to his aid but her wrist was grabbed by Rukio stopping her. "Stop, what do you think you're doing? You said so yourself that you don't know him that well, so isn't he a stranger to you?"

"Why should it matter if he's a stranger to me or not? I can't just standby when a kid needs help, especially one being attacked right in front of me!" she retorted. "I'm not gonna let him get eaten."

"Whether the ghost is in front of you or far away, the fact remains that he's being attacked" he explained, as Ichigo was getting more distressed. "Even if you did save that kid there, nothing would matter if you don't become a Shinigami! Saving him just because he's right in front of you? That's a bit half-hearted. A Shinigami has to treat all spirits equally, you cannot just conveniently save those you can see and reach. It doesn't work like that."

The tall girl was getting more and more agitated as Keiichi fell over and the Hollow and was about to devour him. "If you intend to save him, then you must commit yourself to saving all souls. Even if it means chasing them around, going to any length and paying the ultimate price" he said, with a more serious tone.

D:

After hearing this, Ichigo remembered her fight with the Hollow last night and made her decision. She charged at the Hollow. As the boy dived behind her, Ichigo gripped her Zanpakuto's handle and drew her blade.

"**Who the hell are you?**"

"I'm your death! Now, leave Keiichi alone!" Ichigo shouted, as she raised her Zanpakuto and chopped of two of its legs. "Get lost, Hollow scum!" she stabbed the hollow through the mask finishing it off.

"You okay?" She then turned to look at Keiichi and planted her Zanpakuto on the ground near the boy, scaring him a bit. "Seriously, you need to start living rep of being a tough guy, kid" Ichigo smiled, as she crouched down.

It wasn't her normal cocky smirk. It was warm and loving, more akin to a dotting big sister.

"Oh shut it, I wasn't scared!" Keiichi said, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Anyway what happened to you Ichi-nee?"

"It's a long story. Anyways, you wouldn't want to go through that again, I can help you pass on" she tapped the end of her Zanpakuto on his forehead. "Hopefully you'll do better in your next life." She watched a butterfly fly away into the sky.

:D

"_That was beautiful_" now the raven-head wanted her even more to be a Shinigami. She's such a natural.

"I'm surprised you chose so quickly" Rukio smiled. "So you have decided to make the commitment to become a Shinigami, to be the master of life and the governor of death."

"Like hell I have" Ichigo planted her Zanpakuto on the ground next to her. "I haven't accepted squat. I saved him because I wanted to."

Well, he certainly wasn't expecting that. Rukio was in disbelief as if he was certain this would convince her. "What?"

"Besides, are you any different? You put your life on the line to save me! At that time were you thinking about complicated stuff like 'this is my Shinigami duty'?" she asked, to see the boy even more stunned. "Of course not, that's the last thing on your mind when you save someone. At the very least I'm different! If things get bad I might run away, since I'm not a good enough person to be able to sacrifice my life for total strangers."

D:

Ichigo proceeded to pick up her sword and walk away, leaving a frustrated Rukio to bite his lip. "_Damnit! What am I going to do now?!_ "

Apparently, it was going to be more difficult to convince to help him…

Ichigo let out a sigh as if the redhead sensed his distress. "Then again, I'm not trash that can live happily without paying back her debts, unfortunately" she continued to walk while popping her hips. "C'mon, let's go before someone finds my body lying out in the bushes."

…Or maybe not.

:D

"_D-did she just agree to help me after all that trouble?_" he thought in disbelief silently thanking her, as his gaze was captured by something. "_When did she learn to pop her hips like that? It's almost… hypnotic_…" he quickly shaked those thoughts out of his head and followed the schoolgirl.

xxxx

_Back, at school_…

:D

"Something's wrong with Ichigo" remarked Tatsuki, frowning to where the rest of the class's females were sitting chatting among themselves at lunch. Chizuru, sitting several feet away with the rest of the class 1-3 girls, was eyeing the tomboy speculatively and she just knew the lesbian was going to try and make a move on her. "She'd never leave me alone with Chizuru on the loose, just to run off with someone she just met."

"Nothing's wrong with Ichigo" Orioji contradicted, dipping the leek in his hand into a dip, some gloop mixture of red bean paste and fried peanut butter, to his friend's disgust. "Ichigo does know Rukio. She was surprised to see him but she recognized him."

Tatsuki shot the boy a look, only to glance away quickly, slightly put off by his food. "Yeah, that's what it seemed like but it's still not like her. Couldn't she have just had Rukio eat lunch with us?"

"Ichigo wanted to know why he was here" Orioji took a bite and chewed. "But she didn't want us to know."

"Something to do with a fight?"

:D

Orioji imagined the scene. Rukio stood with his feet planted and fists in front of his face set. Ichigo stood loosely across from him, looking bored. After a second, the black-haired midget disappeared in a shower of dust, only to crash headfirst into Ichigo's raised hand and topples backward with swirly eyes.

He shook his head.

Ichigo usually did try to keep them out of her fights but the idea of her picking one with a new boy, who was short and scrawny, was absurd. Unless she was in a bad mood, she was particular about who she fought and what she looked for most was endurance. Rukio was too delicate to have attracted Ichigo's attention.

The breeze shifted and the redhead perked up, sniffing the air. He broke into a bright smile. "Ichigo's back!"

Tatsuki gave him a disturbed look, Orioji knew his friend found it odd he could identify people he knew by scent, even if the odour in question was sharp as a knife. As he glanced around, trying to spot the long tail of distinctive bright orange hair. Underneath the usual punkish glaze was a slight chill that hadn't been there the day before, one that was ever so slightly stronger than before she and Rukio had left together.

"_Ichigo looks cheerful about something_" he noted. Like she's had a fight but there's no smell of sweat… Like a light bulb, realization lit his face. "I know!"

"Know what?"

"Ichigo's a ghost fighter!"

XD

"A-a what?"

"Kurosaki-chan is secretly a superhero of the dead and is helping ghosts pass over while protecting us from monsters! Hiya!" the redhead cried out making karate noises and chops, Tatsuki looked at Orioji before she shook her head.

"Whatever. Just keep those fantasies to yourself, Orioji" she sighed, making him pout.

"But Tatsuki, what if it's true?"

"Well, if it is, I'll eat a whole bowl of your 'Ramen, honey and sushi special', alright?"

* * *

**Name**: Tatsuki Arisawa

**Age**: 15

**Hair Colour**: Black

**Eye Colour**: Blue

**Height**: 5'3 ft.

**Occupation**: High-School Student and Best Friend.

* * *

"You're on!" Orioji with said with a mock salute.

* * *

**Glossary**

**- Oyaji** _(Unrespectful_): Dad, Old Man.

**-** **Gigai** (_Faux Body_): A Gigai is an artificial body that allows Shinigami to remain in the Human World and interact with humans.

-** Soul Society** (_D__ead Spirit World_): The Soul Society is the afterlife; it's also called the Spirit World. It's meant to correspond to Heaven in Human belief systems. It's the place where most departed souls and the Shinigami dwell.

* * *

**_Expect the next chapter soon folks. I intend to focus my time on its fanfic first and finish the others later._**

**_Btw should I also genderbend Renji or Byakuya, or should I just leave them alone._**

**_Expect a few other genderbends, too._**

**_Peace out and don't forget to review._**


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